Razor clamming at Long Beach

Long Beach is where most Washington diggers cut their teeth. The peninsula runs roughly 28 miles from the mouth of the Columbia River north to Willapa Bay, which makes it the longest stretch of drivable razor clam beach on the coast — and the easiest place to find room to dig on a busy approved day.

Getting on the beach

You can drive a car right onto the hard-packed sand at several maintained public approaches through the communities of Ilwaco, Seaview, Long Beach, Ocean Park, and Oysterville. Vehicles are allowed on the beach (25 mph limit, designated approaches only), and you can park on the firm sand where access exists. After a storm tears up an approach, you may need four-wheel drive to get through the soft stuff at the top.

Because the peninsula is so long, you can almost always spread out. New diggers often start near the town of Long Beach, where the approaches are well marked and the walk to the waterline is short.

Heads up: there’s a Razor Clam Reserve — a no-dig area — that begins about 2.8 miles north of the Oysterville approach and runs north roughly a quarter mile. It’s marked; respect the closure.

Tides and timing

Like the rest of the WA coast, Long Beach digs run on the low tide. Aim to be digging in the one-to-two hours before the listed low — that’s both the productive window and the legal start in Washington. Fall and winter digs fall on evening low tides (bring a lantern or headlamp); spring digs shift to mornings.

The nearest official NOAA tide reference is Toke Point in Willapa Bay (station 9440910) at the north end. The peninsula spans a wide tidal range, so apply local corrections — and remember the Columbia-mouth end runs closer to Astoria-area times.

When can you dig?

Long Beach is one of the four main WDFW-managed beaches, so it opens on announced dig dates. WDFW publishes a long list of tentative days each fall, then confirms each series as final only after the Department of Health tests recent clam samples for marine toxins — usually just a few days before the dig. Never travel on a tentative date alone; wait for the confirmation.

Before you go

• Daily limit: 15 razor clams per person, and you must keep the first 15 you dig regardless of size or condition. Each digger’s clams go in a separate container.
• License: Anyone 16 or older needs a razor clam, shellfish/seaweed, or combination license. See our limits & licenses guide.
• Safety: A beach can be open but closed for toxins. Always check before you dig — here’s why and how.

New to it? Start with how to dig razor clams, then let us alert you the moment Long Beach is cleared.